Interestingly I recall there were issues with extraordinary crash rates in German F-104s. Ross Diehl, the man who taught me to fly the Museum's SNJ-5 was a retired Lockheed production test pilot who trained Japanese pilots in the 104. He mentioned the crashes in passing once and if I recall he was adamant that it was a fine aircraft. I do not recall what his theory was regarding the German crashes.

I can tell you that the thoroughness of my training in that SNJ indicated to me that his students must have got more than their money's worth.